Kittamaru

ack, totally what I didn't want to hear. ah well, lol - now I know why I'm losing my mind doing over it thanks mate!

So... we finally got to working on my old Pathy... 1990 se v6 - and my parking brake hardware is rusted to all hell. Problem is, I can't find a parking brake hardware kit - I keep finding drum brake hardware juts, which doesn't have the right length Springs and pins. Can anyone point me in the right direction, or a part number even? Thanks in advance!

Heh, unfortunately didn't get a chance to try this today - threat of storms most of the early afternoon, and then errands in the evening. It may have to wait till the weekend. On a semi-related note - the jack we use to lift the truck has wheels on it... the garage it's in has less than 18 inches space on either side of the vehicle - would it be safe to pull/push the truck out with that wheel lifted on the jack so we can move her?

If the weather holds, I'll give that a try today

I was contemplating this... I'm just worried that if it ISN'T simply the brakes being frozen on... that something else might break instead XD I mean... we gave it enough gas that at one point, the passenger side rear wheel started to spin in place... so it's pretty dang stuck

Nunya, you're only about 3.5 hours away from us - if you wanted to come up this way, I'm sure we could put you up for a night or two - our little townhouse ain't much to look at, but it's comfy (and we have a really nice couch that we got for free no less, lucky score!)

Good news Bad News time: Good News: She runs pretty good despite having 4 yr old gas in her (where she is position in the little shed thing, we can't get a gas can in to fill her with new fuel - we'll have to get a siphon setup to get new fuel into her) The Transmission seems to shift into/out of gear pretty well (including 4WD) Three of the four wheels spin, albeit with some resistance, but not much Bad News: The drivers side rear wheel will not spin at all. Like... it's acting like the truck is in Park... I'm HOPING that it's just the brakes stuck on - we're going to see about getting a dolly to get her out of the "garage" she's in so we can pull the wheel and take a look. Wanted to do it today using the jack (it has wheels) but we have severe thunderstorms cropping up all around so... yeah, no. k9sar, if you have any interest in coming to look while you are visiting the Hershey area, let me know - we're only like, 20 minutes from Hershey

How difficult is it to do an e-fan conversion? Any recommendations on brands/parts/et al? Thinking it might be something I want to do once the big stuff is done... would probably be a useful little addition, especially since we've been pushing 95+ here and summer isn't over XD

Really? I'd love to meet up with ya k9sar! I'll keep you informed - space is a premium in there (I'm fat, and it's a small stand-alone garage) but I'll see what I can do We did try putting it in neutral and giving a push, no change. I'm hoping I still have the tools I need... ever since my parents divorced, a lot of the tools my father had laying around have been sold or otherwise disappeared

I'll give it a shot after work - ebrake wasn't left on to my knowledge, but she felt stuck, like the wheels couldn't spin at all

I have a friend with welding gear who's ready and willing to help. My family is chipping in a bit of money to cover the costs - if we can get her fixed up, she will go to my lil bro as his first car. We started her today- started right up after 4 years sitting. HOWEVER, she will not move - put her in F or R, and she acts like she wants to move but like her wheels are frozen. I'm hesitant to push too hard on her to try and break em free - could they just be rust-locked?

I hate to say it... but yeah, that dog needs to be seriously looked at, possibly put down. Aggression like that is just a life waiting to be lost, and if the dog is that bad, I don't know how he could be rehabbed. I am terribly sorry for your loss, but I pray that no small kids get tagged by that brute. For the record, huge dog fan here... my old German Shepherd / Rottweiler mix named Storm was my fave best bud... smartest damn dog. Never seen a mutt teach himself not only how to open the door to go out and do his business, but then CLOSE IT upon coming back inside.

Good grief! I wish you lived near PA... I'd kill to know a quarter of what you know XD

That's just it... I've taken welding courses before. I know how to Oxyacetylene, MIG, and TIG weld, and even practiced with Stick welding a bit... but the only torch I have is a small MAPP gas brazing torch... I wish I had a good welder, but I can't afford one

The main reason I refuse to get rid of ole Sheila is... well, she was my late Grandfathers truck. He purchased it when I turned 3 years old so he had something with a back seat to put me in (previously he had a two-seat pickup). That truck is what I ultimately learned to drive in... it was my first vehicle... and has more memories of my Grandfather and I than I can recount. I WILL somehow or other get it in shape to hand down to my kids one day, I don't care what it costs. And yeah, at the moment I'm looking at doing the work myself.

Okay, so, Day 2 update: Talked with the local auto parts store -they should have free loaner tools for everything I need to do. Also priced out oil/fuel/air filters, fluids, spark plugs, etc. Stopped and opened the truck itself... and what a horror Steering wheel and a lot of the other upholstery looks like it's moldy... fun. Auto parts store had a recommendation - a huge U Pull It that isn't far from me... gonna give em a call tomorrow and see if they have any Pathy's in.

Simply put, it was body rust and a hole leading into the cabin that I didn't have time or money to repair... I ended up getting the Jeep for free courtesy of my parents divorce, so I've been using that... now it's looking to cost me a down payment on a reasonable DD to get that thing to pass inspection And yeah, all fluids are on there too.

Alrighty, so, day 1 update: Battery appears to be dead... gonna have to replace that sooner rather than later. I've also not been able to find, well, any tools... between my Uncle taking all of my Grandfathers tools when he passed away, and my Mother selling all of my Fathers tools when they got divorced, it seems everything that I had requested be held aside and shown interest in keeping has been pretty much sold off long ago. *headdesk* Hopefully I can get all the tools I need in a rental kit from the local auto parts store. It's also supposed to be mid 90's and thunderstorms all week... should be fun XD

Welp, looks like I have been given a deadline to get the ol Pathy back into road-worthy shape... my current Daily Driver, a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo went in for inspection yesterday... and the garage is saying it needs the following to pass: Trailing Arm Bushings, both sides, front and rear Two ball joints Traililng Arms themselves (because they are heavily worn) Wheel Alignment The total for parts and labor they are quoting is just over $1,100... For that kind of money, I'd rather try and get my beloved Pathfinder running... so, here goes, any and all advice appreciated! The Situation: It has sat for about 3 years in a garage... it isn't climate controlled, but it isn't exposed to the elements either. It has substantial body rust that needs repaired to pass inspection, namely a large hole under the right rear passenger seat. I figure, remove the seat and pop-rivet in some metal to cover, the prime and paint the inside, undercoat on the outside. I figure after three years, I need to pull the wheels and get the rust off the brake rotors, which I have a wire-wheel that should do the trick for that. I'm hoping the calipers aren't seized. I assume I need to drain the little fuel that was in the tank, the oil, and other fluids and replace them? Also need to check the tires for dry-rot as well as the hoses and other rubber lines. Battery is currently charging... it was disconnected and removed so I'm HOPING it will still hold a good charge. Anything I'm missing from this list? Oh, an by the way - I have until the end of the month (when the Jeep's inspection is up) to get this done... LOL! *headdesk*

Adamzan - the rust is a softball sized hole in the passenger compartment where the passenger side rear brace for the seat is, and the metal about basketball sized around that is thinned. Then there's the usual cancer spots in the fender areas. It's sat for... three years now sadly. I reckon at this point I need new tires and an overall tune up plus more... really not sure where to start at this point. I'd love to just crank her over, but I need to get a battery, plus I read at one point that I should break the cylinders loose by hand so as not to cause damage?

Sorry I haven't had a chance to check back here, been busy with both jobs. No, it's not garaged - we live in a townhouse complex. I know the engine oil needs changed soon, as for if it is suitable for 0C, I have no idea (I had it done at a local shop last time, I don't recall any information about what they used in it). Spark seemed good up till the dizzy cap/rotor when my buddy tested it with his spark tester, and once we replaced them it was strong all the way through to the plugs. Anti-Freeze Anti-boil... well, I'm ashamed to say I haven't changed this since I've owned the truck, so it's probably due for it (I've owned it for... three years now?) I know the battery is on its way out soon... had it tested and IIRC they said it was holding about 80% charge even after charging it... just can't really afford to drop 150+ on a battery at the moment Sadly I doubt I could run a lamp out to the truck... no outside plugs, plus the townhouse management might get a bit pissy with me running wires out to it. I'll see if I can test this on a day I'll have off at my Grandparents or something. Fix the Pathy - I would dearly love to... poor girl needs body work to pass inspection and I just can't afford to do it... in eiher money or time. Generally I'm up at 6 ish, out the door by 7, work from 8-5, come home, change, and work from 6-9/10 ish. Come home, eat dinner, and collapse/die in bed til next morning, Monday - Friday. Saturday I work all day at one job, and sunday, if I wake up at all, I'm generally doing laundry and getting meals together for the following week. I'm hoping to see if the local Tech School auto program is still accepting public vehicles for their kids to use as project cars... As for the timing being off - I haven't got any equipment (literally, when my Grandfather passed away, my uncle took all of his tools... bastard... I don't even have a socket set or even a good set of crescent wrenches right now) but I'll see if my buddy can bring over stuff for a compression test and to check ignition timing. And sadly, no, the Jeep doesn't have an OBD2 system - I can try to get the CEL to blink an error code with a key combination... but, well, I dont' currently have an ignition cylinder (the old one literally snapped and won't engage the mechanism) at the moment so I'm starting her with a screwdriver... cost of a new part at the local shop is $150 blargh. Local U-Pullits don't have any 95 Jeeps in either As for other sensors, I haven't had a chance to check/test them. I'll look into those a bit more. Thank you ya'll for giving me a place to start!

I cried for my poor Sheila, stuck in a covered garage until I can afford to get her repaired enough to pass inspection

Okay, since my Pathy needs body work before it'll pass inspection, I've been driving a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo as my DD. Lately though, it's had a LOT of issues starting... but only when it's below ~ 35 degrees outside... it also restarts fine when it is warm. I've replaced the Distributor Cap and Rotor at the advice of a friend who spark-tested the vehicle and found I had poor spark after the dizzy, but it was fine before. The old cap and rotor was corroded as all hell. It still starts very roughly. It has to crank for a good thirty seconds to two minutes sometimes before it starts... and even then it stumbles and I have to keep the starter turning the first few seconds to ensure the engine doesn't quit. My thought was possibly an issue with the thermostat that controls the open/closed loop in the ECM? Does that sound reasonable? The other thing is, it smells like its running rich... and I've only been averaging about 15-16 MPG, even with a lot of highway driving.

Oh... my GOD... my wife had her co-workers brother come up to help me fix the jeep (he's been a mechanic for about 18 years) and he did it in about five minutes: The ignition switch itself is FINE - there is, however, a chunk missing from the Tumbler assembly that engages said switch. he is going to find me a new one at a u-pull-it saturday. HOWEVER, the reason it wouldn't start is thus - when I replaced the switch, I had to put the steering wheel to it's lowest position to gain access to it... I never raised it back up. APPARENTLY there is an intermittent short in the pack of wires running up the steering column that plugs into the ignition switch... he raised the steering wheel, used a screwdriver to turn the ignition cylinder, and bam, she fired right up... *headdesk* I feel like a real jackass now... lol...